stormwater utility fee Tag

The intent of new stormwater utility fees being implemented by the City of Roanoke is twofold:
New Revenue Source - Stormwater utility fees will provide revenue to fund stormwater improvement projects. These projects are geared to correct past deficiencies (undersized conveyance systems and/or flooding problems) and/or to implement stormwater quality improvement projects throughout the City. These improvements are necessitated by the City’s new municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit and the Virginia Stormwater Management Program regulations.
Encourage Conservation Projects and Low Impact Development - Homeowners and businesses alike can implement best management practice (BMP) facilities on their property to mitigate the impact that development on their property has on local drainage areas and the entire watershed..
In an interview with Roanoke City engineer Phil Schirmer, he shares some of the ways that property owners can implement strategies to reduce their stormwater footprint and reduce the fee that they will pay to the City under new...

Well, it’s now official – the City of Roanoke adopted a stormwater utility. All that remains is adoption of a fee structure and a possible phasing plan for implementation of the fees. The next questions are 1) Will the Council approve the fees as recommended by staff? and 2) Will this move stiimulate surrounding local governments to follow suit? (And how soon?) Read more about the Roanoke City Council’s approval of the stormwater utility ordinance here...

The list of localities considering a stormwater utility fee is growing. This time it’s the Town of Blacksburg seeking to find a way to pay for the requirements of the new MS4 permit and stormwater program. Read more about it here...

Stormwater program regulations and requirements are becoming more real and starting to be a burden on local governments’ budgets across the Commonwealth. Localities are seeking alternative sources of funding for their programs. The City of Roanoke and County of Roanoke are both looking into enacting stormwater utility fees to offset the costs of compliance, while the City of Salem is looking at general funds to support their program.
Read more about it and watch WLSL -Channel 10 covereage here:
http://www.wsls.com/story/23773672/stormwater-fee-on-the-way-for-others-in-valley-localities-weighing-options...

It’s the perfect storm impacting localities this year – new MS4 general permit requirements and stricter stormwater management program regulations – leaving administrators and elected officials with a significant financial responsibility and searching for alternate funding sources for stormwater. Many local governments, like the City of Hopewell, are considering a stormwater utility fee to fund the mandates from state and federal regulations. Stormwater utility fees are restricted for use only for stormwater purposes – planning, design, and construction of projects to alleviate flooding and/or improve water quality. Read more about the City of Hopewell’s proposal here - http://progress-index.com/news/unfunded-stormwater-mandates-to-cost-millions-1.1568316...

On behalf of its residents, the City of Roanoke staff has determined the amount of impervious surface of each parcel within the City in preparations for the proposed stormwater utility fee to be implemented on July 1, 2014. Residents and businesses can now go online to check the City’s calculation of their ‘stormwater footprint’ – impervious area – to prepare for the City's stormwater fee. The City has proposed a fee of $.90 per month per 500 square feet of impervious surface. To see parcel information, please go to http://gisre.roanokeva.gov/ or visit the City's Engineering Department web site:http://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/vwContentByKey/N29ALPE9085SSIAEN for additional information regarding current and future stormwater programs....

The credits and incentive program is a great opportunity for not only commercial land owners and developers, but for residential home owners and non-profit property owners to reduce their stormwater utility fee. The best part is: improvements made, which are eligible for a credit or incentive, are environmentally the right thing to do-helping to protect the Chesapeake Bay and the waterways from Charlottesville to the Bay. City staff are committed to working with property owners to inform and assist. Teaming with the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District staff will broaden the outreach.
To read more about the City's recent luncheon presentation to a group representing the James River Green Building Council (JRGBC) please follow the link below:
http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/news/article/15973-stormwater-utility-fee/
How do you feel the CIty is doing communicating to it's citizens and collaborating with all stakeholder groups?...

Do you really know how big your ‘stormwater footprint’ is? If you don’t know now, you will probably know sometime in the near future – particularly if you live in a community contemplating a stormwater utility fee. The City of Roanoke staff is starting to calculate the impervious surfaces – ‘stormwater footprint’ – for every parcel in the city in preparation for implementing a possible stormwater utility fee. The staff is looking at each property, in great detail, via aerial photographs and boots on the ground, to confirm their calculations are correct.
So the next time you are planning the next neighborhood block party, consider investing in a 200 foot tape and create a game around measuring your neighbors ‘stormwater footprint’ – could be fun!...

While Albemarle County continues to consider the implementation of a stormwateer utility fee to meet mandated water quality requirements it has also prepared a draft plan to gnerate necessary revenues for additional inspections and inspectors for their construction site inspection program. The proposed fees have not yet been finalized, but Mark Graham, the county’s Director of Community Development, said that they will be designed to recover 50 percent of the county’s costs.
Detailed covereage of potential fee changes are found in the attached Charlottesville Tomorrow article: http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/news/article/15853-stormwater-changes-albemarle/...

The City of Staunton is well positioned to meet the new stormwater regulations and permit requirements head on – the City already has an established stormwater utility fee. As with all localities across the Commonwealth, the challenging part is educating elected officials and the public about why managing stormwater can seem to cost so much. The City is again responding by being proactive and starting that conversation early with the City Council. Read more about their recent efforts here:
http://www.newsleader.com/article/20130820/NEWS01/308200021/Costly-stormwater-monitoring-coming-Staunton?nclick_check=1...